erre but as he is Pope his judgment is infallible If he be sitting in his Chaire in the Consistory if hee back the whole Church then he is like Apollo in tripode he can speak nothing but Gospel Marry if he be walking or riding or sitting at Table he will talk as madly as any of his Cardinals Now because I know not what the Popes were doing how their behaviour was when they did thus and thus determine whether they were sitting in their Chaires as Plato was wont when he did dictate or walking with the Peripateticks or which is most likely lying with the Epicures the Popes authority is not sufficient of it selfe to prove this or that to be the doctrine of the Romish Church Whither must I now goe to their Councils confirmed by the Pope Indeed these be the Church representative or branch of the unwritten word which is to be received with no lesse reverence and authority then the books of the Old and New Testament Well then I will go no higher then the Councell of Trent it was called by a Pope continued by a Pope confirmed by a Pope and shall I take this for an undoubted truth that whatsoever is there decreed is universally received amongst Papists Oh but the very Councell it selfe though it hath been sundry times attempted yet could it not be received into the Kingdome of France nor is as I suppose to this day Yea and in Italie and Spaine too both private Doctors yea and Popes too have crossed the determinations of that Conventicle I will instance in one particular the Councel of Trent commands that the old and vulgar edition shall be received for authenticall and that no man under any pretence whatsoever shall once dare or presume to reject it And yet Bellarmine a great Champion of that Synagogue holds that in foure cases it is lawfull to appeale from it to the Original Languages and Azorius Vega Sixtus Sinansis Canus Lindanus and divers others since that Councell do aver that in that edition there are many grosse errours and ridiculous Soloecismes not only by the negligence of Writers and Printers which the Lovanianists and Colonianists have noted in the Margent but by the negligence and ignorance of the Interpreter himselfe yea and Popes themselves contrary to the Precept and Decree of that Synod have revised and corrected the same For about 43. years after the first publication of this Decree Sixtus 5. did review and correct the whole Bible and publishing it in the last yeare of his Popedome did command that that of his should for evermore stand in force upon paine of the great Curse and yet within three years after this comes Clement 8. with a new Edition in many hundred of places different from that of Sixtus the diversities whereof being gathered together by a painful Antiquary into a Book which he intituleth Bellum Papale doe make a pretty volume and this latter must I trow upon no lesse penalty be received for authenticall These be they that boast of unity and make Consent a mark of the Church But let us grant that unto the Papists which they are never able to make good that Rome is at Peace with her selfe will it hence presently follow that that Church is this little Flock Theeves and Robbers are at peace amongst themselves and true men may goe to Law one with another The Scribes and Pharisees yea Herod and Pilate agreed in crucifying Christ The the Kings of the earth stood up and the Rulers took counsell together against the Lord and against his Christ Psal 2. 2. They have cast their heads together with one consent and are confederate against thee O God the Tabernacles of the Edomites and Ismaelites the Moabites and Hagarens Geball and Ammon and Amaleck the Philistims with them that dwell at Tyre Ashur is also joyned unto them Psalm 83. The Nobles and Princes and Dukes and Judges and all agreed in the dedication of the Image which Nebuchadnezzar bad set up they must either be at peace with God or their braggs are winde There is no true peace amongst men when they warr with God there is no truth in unity when there is no unity in truth Now how they agree with the Spirit of God speaking unto us in the holy Scriptures he that will heare them 〈◊〉 speak shall quickly discerne God forbids that any Image be made to any religious use or being made to be worshipped the Church of Rome commands both God commands that the Sacrament shall be ministred in both kinds the Church of Rome commands that the greatest part of Christians have it but under one kinde God teacheth us that howsoever before men we are justified by works yet before him we are justified by Faith without the works of the Law the Church of Rome teacheth that we are not justified before God by faith without the works of the Law God tells us that we must pray with the understanding the Church of Rome maintaineth praying in a strange tongue God saith that Marriage is honourable amongst all men the Church of Rome denies it God calls the prohibition of marriage a Doctrine of Devills the Church of Rome makes the prohibition of marriage equall to Canonicall Scripture God hath taken away all legall distinction of meats and tells us that every creature of God is good c. they the Church of Rome puts more religion in abstinence from meats then in the observation of Gods precepts Briefly whereas the summ of the whole Bible is comprehended in the Decalogue and Creed and both these included in the Lords prayer there is not a Commandement in the Decalogue scarce an Article in the Creed or petition in the Lords prayer against which if not directly yet indirectly and by consequence they doe not offend they ascribe an inward religious worship to Saints against the first Commandement they adore Images against the second they maintaine swearing by the creatures invocation of Saints they dispence with Oaths against the third with greater strictnesse they observe their owne holidayes and fasting dayes then the Lords day against the fourth they extoll the Pope above all Emperours and secular Princes they admit Children into religious Orders without consent of Parents against the fifth they teach and practise rebellions murthers and massacres of such as be opposite unto them in matters of Religion against the sixth they prohibite marriage and allow the Stews against the seventh they hold that in extreame necessity it is lawfull to take another mans goods against the eighth they maintaine equivocation and mentall reservation against the ninth they hold that concupiscence unto wich the will doth not yeeld consent is not properly a sin and so overthrow the tenth that concupiscence unto which the will yeelds her consent being forbidden in the former precepts Not to trouble you further the summ of all is this Such is the unity of the Romish Church as neither old Papists agree with new nor old
if thou strangle thy sefe with the smal cords of vanitie Thou must therefore be contented to forgo those little ones a great beam will put out a mans eye so may a mote too a great flame may burn a house so may a small sparkle a cart-rope may strangle a man so may a small cord a sword will take away the life of the strongest man and so may a little pen-knife nay the point of a needle a Canon shot may murther a man so may the shot of a pocket dagg the deep Ocean may drown a man and so may a smal River It is even so with sin the Aegyptians were as surely drowned that laid dead on the shore as those that were overwhelmed in the deep so the least sinne without repentance drowns a man in the gulfe of perdition as well as the greatest and let me add this which is a most certain truth though at the first it may seeme a paradox that more are damned to Hell for little sinnnes then for great Why Because as it is not the falling into the fire that burnes a man to death but continuing in it nor the falling into the water that drownes a man but lying in it so it is not the falling into sin that damns a man for then all should be damned seeing all fall into sin but cotinuance in sinne and impenitencie A great sinne may prove veniall and a little sinne the same kindâ—n mortall exempli gratia oppression may be veniall and the least desire of another mans goods mortall actuall adulterie veniall and adulterie of the heart unlawfull desire mortall shedding of innocent blood veniall and unadvised anger mortal one of these wee find pardoned in David another in Zacheus the third in Manasses and pardoned they shall be to all such as truly repent and believe the Gospel but these being breaches of Gods law are in their own nature mortall and unlesse repentance follow them they are sure to bring death with them not that these are more grievous in their own nature then those or did more provoke Gods wrath the contrary is true in both but because they often find mercie when the other doe not because they are often accompanied with repentance when the other are not and it is not the greatnesse or littlenesse of the sinne that makes it mortall or venial but the continuance in it or forsaking of it he that continueth in his sin though never so small shall not prosper but he that forsaketh them though never so great shall finde mercie Now many that have been overtaken with grievous and crying sinnes having had the looking glasse of the Law laid before them have been humbled and upon their humiliation pardoned and so their mortall sinnes made venial whereas these lesse sinnes wherein men walke securely and never are truly humbled for them but blesse themselves with the fancie that they are free of many hainous crimes wherewith many others in the world are stained these these I say bring many milions to hell experience sheweth that many dangerous wounds being timely looked unto are cured whereas the least as a stab with an Aule or prickle of a black or prickle of a black thorn neglected may indanger a member if not life So the greatest sinne soundly and timely repented obtains pardon whereas the least neglected as if there were no danger because of it self not so dangerous brings death on the back of it Let then the men of this world who make a sport of sinne mince and qualifie and extenuate their greatest offences let them thinke themselves happie because they are not the greatest transgressors let them never have any Scriptures but such as sound Gods mercies in their mouthes but for thee Beloved Christian if thou look to find favour at the hands of the Almighty though after thy fals and slips thou art to meditate upon Gods mercies lest thou be swallowed up with over much heaviness yet before to keep thee from falling mediate upon his judgements and fierce wrath against the least transgressions lay them open before God that he may cover them condemn them that he may forgive them confesse them to be by nature mortall that by grace he may make them veniall Thus much concerning the second proposition the last proposition is against the Romish doctrine of traditions wee receive traditions say the Fathers of the Councell of Trent pertaining to faith and manners with like devotion and reverence that wee doe the books of the Old and New Testament they meane divine and Apostolicall traditions these wee reverence and receive as well as they viz. if they be expresly delivered in the Scripture or may by necessary consequence be thence proved this is not their meaning but such as are not written but only said to be delivered by Christ and his Apostles very well but seeing the ancient received some for divine and Apostolical which are not rejected even by the Church of Rome as abstaining from blood and that which is strangled praying toward the East c. How shall I know what traditions are divine and Apostolicall Bellarmine gives me a good rule that is without doubt an Apostolical tradition saith he that is taken for Apostolicall in those Churches where is a continued succession of Bishops from the Apostles where is that marrie onely in the Church of Rome Et ideo ex testimonio hujus solius Ecclesiae sumi potest certum indubitatum argumentum ad probandas Ecclesiasticas traditiones and therefore from the testimonie of that Church onely may be taken a certain and infallible argument for proving of Apostolicall traditions This is the strongest stake that stands in the Popes hedge allow him this principle and he will be sure to win the field The Protestants have challenged the Romanists at three severall kinde of weapons Reason Antiquitie and Scripture The first they put off with their nice and aeriall distinctions the second when all other shifts have failed them they wipe oft with the wards of their expurgatorie indices wherein they deale with the ancient Fathers and some of their own side also as Terence in the Poet did with Prognâ— that is cut out their tongues that in future times they shall never be able to crie down Poperie when they are assaulted with the third which is the fittest that can be used to maintain Gods quarrell against his enemies being taken out of Davids Tower where hang a thousand shields and all the weapons of the strong men they put off this blow by their tradition yea but traditions are against the Word of God Ye shall add nothing unto that which I command you Deut. 4. Yea but traditions are the word of God though not written how prove you this because our Church holdeth them to be such Et quod nos volumus sanctum est as Tichonius the Donatist was wont to say Woe unto you yee Hypocrites for ye bind heavie burdens and lay them upon mens shoulders yee make the Law of
Christ and all others that dissent from her although they do consent with Christ shall be counted and called Hereticks and Scismaticks and Calvinists and Lutherans and Zwinglians and I wote not what even as in former ages the Arians called themselves Orthodoxalls and branded the Catholikes with the name of Hereticks and Homousians and Johanites and Ambrosians and Athanasians and as he that is troubled with the vertigo or swimming in the head thinks that the earth turnes when he stands still whereas the earth stands still and his giddy brains turn as those that sayl from the shore into the maine Sea think that the Land goes back from them when they goe back from the Land So they charge us to have turned from the truth when it is not we but their giddy brains that have turned and to have gone back from the ancient Catholicke and Apostolick Church when it is not wee but they that have run backwards and made an apostasie Heare yet more cause of grief in this little Flock in these North-west parts of the world which at the commandement of Christ is come out of Babylon Alas what a rent have two or three points of difference made and those not of such moment but that a reconciliation might have been made if a charitable construction had been admitted on both sides It 's worthy the observation which the holy Ghost sets downe Gen. 13. 7. when there was debare between the Herdsmen of Abrahams and the Herdsmen of Lots Cattel The Canaanites and the Peresites dwelled at that time in the land whereupon Abraham was more desirous to make a pacification Let there be no strife between thee and me nor between thy herdsmen and my herdsmen for we are brethren So say I let there be no strife between Abraham and Lot between Luther and Calvin nor between the Herdsmen of either side especially seeing it is with us as it was with them the Canaanite and the Peresite dwells amongst us for we are brethren The matters of difference are not such but that they may and I hope will in time be determined in a lawfull Assembly Till then oh let no heat of passion melt the pitch of Noahs Arke no violence of perturbation burst in sunder the threed and knots of Gods net but both endeavour to preserve the communion of Saints and so continue the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Worthy is that admonition which Saint Austin gives to certaine brethren that did not fully agree in the doctrine of predestination I wish these men would hearken unto it Itaque dilectiss ne vos perturbet hujus quaestionis obscuritas Moneo vos primum ut de his quae intelligitis agatis deo gratias Quicquid est autem quo pervenire nondum potest vestrae mentis intentio pacem inter vo charitatem servantes a domino ut intelligatis orate donec res ipsa perducat ad ea quae nondum intelligitis ibi ambulate quo pervenire potustis St. Paul shall english it Let us as many as are perfect be thus minded and if any be otherwise minded God shall reveale even the same unto you Neverthelesse in that whereunto we are come let us proceed by one rule that wee may mind one thing Phil. 3. 15. 16. To come yet neerer home although peradventure it may befall me as it doth him who stepping in hastily to part a fray gets a broken head for his paines and receives blows from both parties Tamen subibo discrimen I will hazard my selfe pro virili aquam infundam in sacrum hunc ignem I will doe the best I can to powre out my Bucket to quench if I may this holy Fire I meane the fire that is burning in our English Church those hot and fiery flames of contention about Circumstances and Ceremonies Figures and Colours shall I say more toys and trifles if not in themselves at least in regard of many things that are neglected even by those who most oppugn them which might be badges and tokens of unity and consent in our Church yet prove they I know not how like the waters of Massah and Meribah causes of strife and contention and serve to make a rent in the vaile of our Temple even from the top to the bottome and to teare in sunder the seamlesse Coate of Christ Jesus Marke those unchristian speeches cast to and fro and those Books which are by sundry divulged on both sides I except neither and yet I must needs say there is a difference the one maintaining the decency and order of our Church the other striving to beate downe all the carved work thereof as it were with axes and hammers and compare them with the most tart polemicall books that have been written against or for the Papists and you shall find some of them in bitternesse and sharpnesse of style far exceeding them as if their pens were dipped in vinegar and wormwood or their inke were made of the blood of Dragons and the cruell gall of Aspes Yet Michael the Archangle when he strove against the devil disputed about the bodie of Moses durst not blame him with cursed speaking but said The Lord rebuke thee Jude 9 May we not justly exclaim as the Poet did concerning the civill Wars between Caesar and Pompey Quis furor Ocives what madnesse is this quae tanta licentia linguae what mean these unbridled tearms Cumque superba foret Babylon spolianda trophaeis Bella geri placuit nullos habitura triumphos When we should march with joynt Forces against the whore of Babylon shall we every man slay his brother and sheath his sword in his companions bowels Oh that they would remember that generall name which as many have taken as have taken the Military oath to fight under Christs Standard I meane the name of Christian It was thought a good motive to Julius Caesar in the first of Tacitus his Annals to unite the minds of his dissenting Souldiers to call them Quirites Divus Julius seditionem exercitus compescuit uno verbo Quirites vocando And should not the name of Christians be as great a motive to compose those jarrs as Quirites was to the barbarous Souldiers Oh that they would remember that they are brethren not like Simeon and Levi brethren in evill nor like those bred of the Serpents teeth which slew one another as the Poet saith Marte cadunt subito per mutua vulnera fratres But brethren bred in one womb the Church fed with one milk the Word animated with the same spirit governed by the same Lord justified by the same faith watch-men over the same Flock fighting under the same Banner Nefas nocere vel malo fratri puta said he in the Tragedy and Moses thought it a good argument to compose the two Israelites which were at odds between themselves Sirs ye are brethren why do ye wrong one to another If this be not of force oh that they would
fulfilled the Commandements of God yet wantest thou one thing for that work which must merit must be Opus indebitum Now obedience to every branch of Gods law is a debt which we are owing to God by the law of creation and God may say to every one of us as Paul said to Philemon Thou owest to mee even thine owne selfe Doth a Master thank that servant which did that which he was commanded to do I trow not so likewise When yee have done all things which were commanded you say we are unprofitable servants we have but done that which was our duty to do Inutilis servus vocatur saith Austin qui omnia fecit quia nihil fecit ultra id quod debuit And Theophylact upon that place The servant if he work not is worthy of many stripes and when he has wrought let him be contented with this that he hath escaped stripes 3. That work by which thou must merit must be thine own but thy good works if thou look to the first cause are not so Quid habes quod non accipisti 1 Cor. 4. It s God that worketh both the will and the deed Phil. 2. 13. Not I but the grace of God in me 1 Cor. 13. So then put case thou couldst fulfill the law and it were not a payment of debt yet is no merit due to thee but to him whose they are Dei dona sunt quaecunque bona sunt Every good and perfect gift comes from above even from the father of lights And Deus sua dona non nostra merita coronat 4. Admit it were in thy power to fulfill the law that it were no debt that thy works were wholly thine and God had no part in them this is not enough there must be some proportion between the work and the reward or no proper merit Now between thy best works and the Kingdome of heaven promised to Christs little flock there is not that proportion that is Inter stillam muriae mare Aegeum as Tullie speaks between the light of a candle and the light of the Sunne between the least grane of sand that lies on the Sea-shore and the highest heaven as shall presently appear 5. Last of all that thy work may merit at Gods hands some profit or honour must thereby accrue to him But my goodnesse saith David O Lord reacheth not unto thee but to the saints that are on the earth If thou be righteous saith Elihu what givest thou to God or what receiveth he at thine hand Job 35. Who hath given unto him first Rom. 11. 35. All these five things are requisite for the merit of works but not onely some but all of them are wanting to our best works and therefore we must with the Scriptures ascribe our whole salvation to the grace of God and acknowledge nothing inherent in us to be the prime cause of all his graces but his owne good will and pleasure I count the afflictions of this world not worthy the glory that shall be revealed Rom. 8. And in another place he tells us That wee deserve hell for our evill workes The wages of sinne is death but not heaven for our good deeds and sufferings but of Gods bounty and mercie Eternall life is the gift of God Rom. 6. Not by the works of righteousnesse which wee had done but according to his mercie he saved us Tit. 3. And ye are saved by grace through faith not of your selves it is the gift of God Eph. 2. And how doth he prove that Abraham was justified by faith and not by works because Ei qui operatur merces non imputatur secundū gratiam sed secundum debitum And if Abraham had been justified by works he had wherein to rejoyce but not with God Rom. 3. These are places of Scripture and let me build upon this occasion to produce an assertion which once I brought upon another point which some that I see here present were pleased to except against as savouring of blasphemy though the words excepted against were none of mine but of Justin Martyr who lived above 1400. years agoe and confidently brought by him in his discourse with Tryphon a Jew if any I will not say Pelagian or Arminian or Papist but if all the Fathers of the Primitive Church if all the ancient Councels if Moses and all the Prophets if Paul and all the Apostles if an Angel from heaven nay if God himself these are the words of Justin the Martyr should deliver any doctrine repugnant to that which is contained in this booke I would not believe him Agreeable unto these places of Scripture was the doctrine of the ancient Church Gratia evacuatur si non gratis donatur sed meritis redditur Aug. Epist 105. Non dei gratia erit ullo modo nisi gratuita fuerit omni modo And in a third place Non pro merito quidem accipimus vitam aeternam sed tantum pro gratia Tract 3. in Ioh. And thus have I confirmed my proposition by reason by Scriptures and by the testimonie of the Church and Contra rationem nemo sobrius contra ecclesiam nemo pacificus contra scripturas nemo Christianus senserit as a Father saith Unto all these might be added if it were needfull the confession of the learnedst of our Adversaries let our Enemies be Judges who cry down this blasphemous doctrine of Merit God saith one of them doth punish Citra condignum but rewards Vltra condignum and Scotus as Bellar confesseth holds that Bona opera ex gratia procedentia non sunt meritoria ex condigno sed tantum ratione pacti acceptationis divinae And of the same opinion saith he were other of the old Schoolmen and of the new Writers Andreas Vega. Ferus as in many other points between us the Pontificians so in this he is as sound a Catholique and as good a Protestant as Calvin himselfe or any that hath written on this subject in Math. cap. 20. vers 8. Gratis promisit gratis reddit si dei gratiam favorē conservare vis nulla meritorum tnorum mentionem facito And in Acts 15. Qui docet in operibus confidere is negat Christi meritum sufficere Both which places many others of the same Author their Index Expurgatorius hath wiped out using him the ancient fathers as Tereus dealt with Progne who cut out her tongue lest she shold tel the truth Yea and Bellarmine himselfe after he hath spent seventeen leaves in defence of merit of works and scrapt and catcht and drawn in by the shoulders whatsoever he could out of the Scriptures or ancine Fathers for colouring that Tenent at length brings this Orthodoxall conclusion with which I will conclude this point Very Orthodoxall indeed if two letters be transposed Propter incertitudinem propriae justitiae let it be Propter certitudinem propriae injustitiae propter periculum inanis gloriae tutissimum est fiduciam totam in sola Dei misericordia benignitate